On Ash Wednesday, “devout Catholic” Joe Biden — complete with ash smudge on his forehead — refused to answer a question from a journalist from the Catholic network EWTN about how he can support abortion in defiance of the teaching of the Catholic Church. Biden stated that he would not debate theology and would not “make a judgment for other people.”
Mr. Biden has a propensity to wear his Catholicism on his sleeve when he sees it as a benefit, and to downplay it when he sees it as a detriment. And both his administration and the liberal mainstream media not only allow him to get away with it, they encourage and assist him in his duplicity.
For instance, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki has often described her boss as a “devout Catholic” and mentioned that he “attends Mass” regularly. But when asked about Biden’s recalcitrant divergence from Catholic teaching on the issue of abortion, Psaki simply repeats that he is a “devout Catholic” — as if one could be and still publicly advocate for the murder of unborn humans.
And Biden has touted his own status as a “good Catholic.” After his private audience with Pope Francis in October, Biden told the press that the pope was “happy I’m a good Catholic.” And — seeming to either forget or just not care that Christ said that when one is fasting, he should keep it to himself (not letting the right hand know what the left hand is doing) — Biden made it known Wednesday that he “prayed and met with a cardinal” — which may be where he received the ashes on his forehead, symbolizing that we are “dust, and to dust [we] shall return.” He went on to tell reporters that he gave up “all sweets” for Lent, saying, “I start off with dessert. No ice cream, nothing.”
See, he gave up sweets for 40 days. He must be a “good” and “devout” Catholic.
Except that he isn’t.
Because “good” and “devout” Catholics are called to protect the lives of the unborn — not to sacrifice them to what Mother Teresa (an actual “good” and “devout” Catholic) called a “culture of death.” And Biden — at least in the presidential phase of his life — has been an outspoken champion for the “right” of women to kill their unborn children. He is the ostensible head of an administration that pushes radical pro-abortion legislation such as the Equality Act and the Women’s Health Protection Act. And he has called for abortion to be enshrined into federal law to prevent any opposition to the killing of unborn babies.
This would not be unlike someone claiming to be a good and devout Southern Baptist while having a beer and smoking a cigarette at a gay bar.
Joe Biden may be Catholic (in the sense that he was baptized Catholic and maintains his parish membership), but he is what older catechisms called a “bad Catholic.”
And it is not just this writer denying that Biden is a “good” and “devout” Catholic. In fact, the teaching of the Catholic Church is firm on this point: Catholics who deny or publicly advocate against the Church’s teaching on this issue are in mortal sin and are not “Catholics in good standing.” They are not even supposed to receive communion.
And while the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has failed in its duty to hold Biden accountable by denying him communion (for both his sake and the sake of those who are scandalized by his actions), at least two Catholic organizations have taken him to task.
As Biden answered questions from the press on Ash Wednesday, EWTN reporter Owen Jensen confronted him, asking, “How do you support abortion as a Catholic, defying Church teaching?” Biden started his answer by saying, “I’ll tell you what — I don’t want to get into a debate with you on theology, but you know —” at which point Jill Biden (who jumped into action walking toward Biden and the press as soon as the question was asked) tapped Biden, appearing to call him off of the question. He stumbled over his words for a second and then wrapped up by saying, “I’m not going to make a judgment for other people.”
Of course, it is ridiculous for Biden — who mandated masks and vaccines and has essentially dictated his way through his first 13 months in the White House — to claim he is “not going to make a judgment for other people.” Furthermore, by staunchly supporting abortion and bringing the full weight of his office to bear on making sure it continues, he is making a judgment for other people — he is judging unborn babies and sentencing them to death for the crime of inconveniencing their parents.
After that video was posted on Twitter, another Catholic organization took Biden to task. Brian Burch is the president of Catholic Vote — an organization that says it exists “to inspire every Catholic in America to live out the truths of our faith in public life.” In a statement, Burch said, “President Biden’s response to a reporter’s questions to him about his support for abortion while wearing ashes on his forehead is utterly disappointing. Today, Catholics are reminded that we are ‘dust, and to dust [we] shall return,’ and the season of repentance begins as we prepare to celebrate the death and resurrection of our Lord.” By way of contrast, “Biden continues to create confusion and discord by openly touting his faith while promoting pro-death policies that all Catholics are called to reject.”
Of course, Burch is correct, as was EWTN reporter Owen Jensen when he called Biden out for supporting abortion while claiming to be a “good” and “devout” Catholic. By his duplicity, Biden calls into question his policies, his faith, and his integrity. The clear answer is that his policies show that he has no faith and no integrity.
